Milling machine and the like



1943-v SfSAVA-GE 2,308,546

I MILLING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 23, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR f 6 m (M. Y M m 5 BY d W v ATTORNEY Jan. 19, 1943. s. SAVAGEMILLING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 2s,' 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR firm us) J4me:

m ATTQRNEYS Jan. 19, 1943. s. SAVAGE MILLINGMACHINE AND THE LIKE 3Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 23, 1942 H An 4 & fim r ATTORNEYS PatentedJan. 19, 1943 I UNlTED STATES rear 'FFEE MILLING MACHINE AND THE LIKE-Stanley Savage, Seattle, Wash.

Application February 23, 194.2, Serial No. 431,995

6 Claims.

This invention relates to milling machines, and the like, and hasreference more particularly to novel improvements in thread millingmachines, whereby they are adapted to simultaneously perform threadcutting operations upon a plurality of pieces of material, as a means ofincreasing the production capacity of the machine.

Explanatory to the present invention, it will here be stated that, to myknowledge, thread milling machines now in general use, are designed toperform a work operation on but one piece of material at a time. Forexample, assume that a large number of shafts or tubes of likedimensions are to be similarly threaded, one only will be secured inposition to be worked on in the head and tail stocks of the machine. Themilling cutter will then be brought properly to working position byadjustment of the cutter spindle carriage, and is advanced along theshaft in proper timing with its rate of rotation to form a a thread ofthe desired pitch. When the designated work on that shaft, or piece ofmaterial has been finished, the piece is removed, and another is put inits place. Thus, it is apparent that when a large number of pieces areto be worked on, and the pieces can only be worked on one at a time, thejob will consume considerable time regardless of the fact that allpieces are alike.

In view of the foregoing, it has been the prin- I cipal object of thisinvention to increase production capacity of the ordinary types ofthread milling machines, or other machines to which the presentinvention is applicable, and it contemplates the accomplishment of thisincreased production capacity either by the adaptation of auxiliaryparts to certain well known types of milling machines that are alreadyin general use, or by the construction of-new machines that in theiroriginal form, are equipped with the present means for the multipleproduction of like pieces of work.

More specifically stated, the objects of the present invention reside inthe provision of a thread milling machine, in general of the same designas now employed, wherein a succession of working heads are arranged atspaced intervals along the bed of the machine, and each of said heads isequipped with a plurality of work holding spindles. plates that all workholding spindles be rotated in unison through the mediacy of a lineshaft extended between the succession of working heads, and a drivingand indexing connection for all heads be provided by a connection be-=The invention further contem- 1 tween the gearing of the first workinghead of the series and the head stock spindle which, in turn, has aclutch connection with the main drive shaft of the machine.

Furthermore, associated with each of said working heads as employed inthis invention, is a carriage, movable in ways provided on the machinebed, under control of a lead screw, common to all carriages, and eachcarriage mounts milling cutter equipped spindles, corresponding to thenumber of work carrying spindles, and an electric motor on each carriagedrives the cutter spindles.

Still further objects of the present invention reside in certain detailsof construction of parts designed to provide for efiecting thecompensating adjustment that is required due to the changing or use ofdifferent milling cutters.

In accomplishing the above stated, as well as other objects of theinvention, later apparent, I have provided the improved details ofconstruction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a side View of a millingmachine, equipped with means adapting it to the threading of pieces inmultiples in accordance with the objects of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross section, on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2, illustrating thegeared driving connection between the work holding spindles of one ofthe working heads, for causing them to turn in unison.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view, on the line 4-4 in Fig. 2,illustrating the disposition of the milling cutters and provision fortheir simultanecus lateral adjustment from and against the pieces ofwork.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, sectional detail, taken longitudinally of theadjusting shaft for the milling cutter mounting brackets associatedwith'one of the movable carriages.

Fig. 6 is a side view of one of the cutter mounting brackets.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail of one of the work holdingspindles.

'Fig. 8 is a detail showing the internal threading operation.

Before going into a detailed description of the drawings, it will behere explained that only those parts of the machine thought essential toa full disclosure of the present invention willbe illustrated ordescribed in detail. Parts not essential to a full disclosure and properunderstanding of the invention, are omitted to avoid confusion.

Referring more in detail to the drawings- I designates, in thisentirety, the main frame structure of a milling machine typical of thetype to which the present invention is applicable. This structurecomprises the horizontal bed 2, equipped with the central and oppositeend supports 3 in the nature of legs, and the catch basin, or pan 4,which underlies the bed.

The bed, here shown to be of substantial length, is formed in its topsurface with the longitudinal ways 5 and 5', as observed in Figs. 3 and4, and at the left-hand end of the machine, as shown in Fig. 1, there isa gear housing 6 mounted upon the bed, which contains therein thedriving, speed changing and reversing gearing, and through which thework holding spindles of the machine, the feed screw and other parts,are operated and controlled. The starting and stopping of thismechanism, insofar as it concerns the work holding spindles, is undercontrol of a hand lever 1, fixed on a horizontal shaft 8 that extendsinto the housing 6, and there has operative connection with clutchcontrol devices, not herein shown, but which are generally understood,whereby the working heads are thrown in or out of ear.

Also mounted in the gear head stock spindle l0, driven through clutchmechanism and suitable gearing, not herein shown. This spindle isequipped at its outer end with the work driving dog through whichconnection is made, as presently described, with the several workingheads.

Extending longitudinally of the machine, as observed in Fig. 2, in arevolubly mounted lead screw I4, also operated through gearing not hereshown, in the housing 6. This feed screw is supported in suitablebearings for rotation and against longitudinal travel, and its rate ofrotation is in accordance with a predetermined rate of operation of thehead stock spindle Iii.

It will here be stated that in the event a machine of a single spindletype already in use is to be remodeled and equipped with the partscomprised by the present multiple spindle invention, those partsordinarily arranged on the bed, such as the tail stock and the carriagewhich mounts housing 6 is the the milling cutters, their spindles andgear hous- 4 ings, or corresponding parts, may be removed, and in theirstead, a succession of working heads and carriages for the cutterspindles are installed in spaced relationship upon and along the bed.

In the present instance, as noted best in Fig. 1, I have illustrated twoof these working heads; one being designated by reference numeral 20,located transversely of the bed quite close to the gear housing 6, andthe other, designated by numeral 25], being spaced somewhat therefromtoward the tail end of the machine. It will be understood, however, thatthe number of these working heads that may be used, and their spacingrelative to each other, would be dependent upon the length of the bedand the desired or required maximum distance of travel of the cuttermounting carriages in the longitudinal direction of the machine.

In the present instance, the two heads 20 and 2c are each equipped withtwo identical work mounting spindles 2 |-2 I in horizontal and parallelrelationship. These spindles, as noted in Fig. 2, are revolublycontained in gear housings, and extend in the longitudinal direction ofthe working head 20.

machine, with end portions projecting from the gear housing which isembodied in the work head.

By reference to Fig. 7, it will be observed that the spindle shafts2|-2| are tubular and each is designed to be rotatably driven by a gear22 xed thereon and contained within the gear housing. The gears 22 ofthe two spindles in each working head are alike in diameter and bothoperate in mesh with a somewhat larger idler gear wheel 23 contained inthe gear housing below the gears 22.

As will be best understood by reference to Fig.

.2, the arrangement of Work holding spindles 2|-2i' in each work headand 20 is alike, and the two idler gears 23 of the two work heads areboth supported by and fixed on a line shaft 25 that extends between theheads 20 and 20' to insure driving the spindles in unison. Thus, allspindles will rotate in unison, and those in the same work head willrotate in the same direction.

To drive the work holding spindles, a driving connection is made betweenthe head stock spindle I8 and the spindle shaft 2| of the adjacent Forthis purpose, the spindle shaft 2| is mounted in axial alinement withthe spindle it. This driving connection is made through the mediacy ofthe driving dog II and may be accomplished in various ways. As hereshown, the driven spindle I0 is equipped at its end with a disk 28 andthis registers flatly against a similar disk 29 that is fixed to the endportion of the spindle 2| that is alined with spindle l0. Bolts 33extend through holes provided in the disks to hold them together, and itis provided that through this connection, an indexing adjustment may beeffected for multiple thread cutting.

Each of the tubular spindle shafts 2|-2|' is equipped at one end with awork holding chuck. In this showing, it comprises a longitudinally splitand exteriorly threaded end portion 2|:r of the spindle. The threadedportion is tapered and a nut 35 is adapted to be tightened thereon toefiect the retraction of the chuck against the work piece that may beinserted in the spindle bore.

Corresponding to each of the working heads 20 and 20, is a cuttermounting carriage 48. Since each of these is like the other, only onewill here be described in detail, with the understanding that thedescription applies equally to both.

The carriage is mounted flatly upon and is adapted for travel along thebed 2 in the longitudinal direction of the machine, and is held secure,and is guided in its travel by gibs 4|, fixed to the base of thecarriage for travel in the guideways 5 and 5 of the bed, as shown inFig. 5. Movement of the carriage along the bed is under control of thelead screw H which has threaded connection with a bushing or bearing 42held in place by the block 4|. Thus, in accordance with the rate anddirection of rotation of the lead screw, the carriage will be movedtoward or from the working head 29.

Mounted on the carriage 40, in alinement transversely of the machinebed, are upstanding brackets 43 and-44 having inwardly directed,horizontal base portions 45 and 4-5. Each of these base portions isprovided with a keyway 41, see Fig. 6, to receive and be secured by adovetail key or rib 48 on the top face of the carriage. This key 68 isdirected at a right angle to or transversely of the longitudinal ways ofthe bed and therefore the two brackets may be adjusted has an integralmounting flange through the J mediacy of which an adjustable mountingconnection is made with the corresponding supporting bracket. Asobserved in Figs. 5 and 6, the flange 5! is circular and has a flatouter face,

and is disposed flatly against the fiat inside face of the correspondingbracket. The associated parts are held functionally together by a centerpivot pin 52, and by two clamp bolts 53; these latter being extendedthrough arcuate slots 54 in the bracket and threaded into the disk. Thearrangement is such that by loosening the bolts 53, the housing may berotatably adjusted about the pivot pin 52 as an axis. Tightening of thebolts secures the adjustment.

It is also to be observed by reference to Fig. 6 that the gear housings59--50', each mounts therein a spindle 60 which, at one end, outside thehousing, mounts a milling cutter 6| thereon. In each housing, thespindle 66 is driven (see Fig. 5) through a suitable spiral gearconnection, as at 62, by a drive shaft 63 which is mounted in thehousing and extends laterally outward therefrom. At their outer ends,these shafts are equipped with belt pulleys 64. As noted in Fig. 2, thepulleys 64 are rearwardly, and outwardly ofiset from their correspondingsupporting brackets, and due to this, there will be no interference ofparts due to any adjustments of the gear housings 5ii-50 that might berequired.

Attention is now directed to the showing of parts in Figs. 2 and 6,wherein it is noted that the point of contact of the milling cutter 6|with the piece being worked on, is in the axial line of the pivot 52about which rotary adjustment of the gear housing 5%! is made. Thus, anyangular adjustment that may be required of the spindle mounting housingfor the purpose of accomodating the milling cutter to the pitch of thethread to be cut, will not throw the cutter out of position relative tothe piece being worked on.

Associated with each of the movable carriages 4B is a motor mountingtable 65. This table is attached to and moves with the carriage undercontrol of the lead screw and rides on the machine bed. It operates, ineffect, as a part of the carriage. Mounted on this table 65 is anelectric motor 65 with its drive shaft 61 extended beyond the motor toopposite sides of the machine bed. This shaft is equipped at its endswith belt pulleys 68-58 about which belts 6969 operate to drive the beltpulleys 64, thus to drive the two milling cutters that are associatedwith that particular carriage. It will be understood that since thetable 65 is attached to the carriage 48, they will move together alongthe bed and the driving belt connection between the motor and spindlesof the milling cutters will not be interfered with or thrown out ofadjustment.

Where the machine is equipped with two work heads, and each head has twowork holding spindles, it is possible to mount four pieces of workwhere, in the ordinary types of machines, only one piece would bemounted. Then, with these pieces of work mounted in the spindles and themilling cutters adjusted to position, one operator can easily take careof the machine, to produce four times as much as before.

It is to be understood that the work holding spindles would have to bemade to accommodate the particular type of pieces being worked upon,

and it is most practical that all pieces be finished alike. In thepresent instance, the invention has been illustrated in connection withthe threading of shafts. Fig. 8 shows an internal threading operation.

When the pieces of material, such as the short lengths of tubingdesignated by reference character S are applied to the four work holdingspindles, as shown in Fig. 1, they extend horizontally in parallelrelationship. The milling cutters corresponding thereto, as will benoted, are so disposed that they may be adjusted into contact with thesework pieces at the outside thereof. The two milling cutters 6|, as shownin Fig. 5, rotate in the same direction, and this is required due to thefact that the shafts S on which they are to operate are rotated in thesame direction by their spindles.

In order that the two milling cutters, as arranged in Fig. 5, may besimultaneously adjusted outwardly or inwardly from and against the workpieces S, I have provided the adjusting shaft HI. This is a horizontalshaft, that is directed transversely of the bed 2 and is carried withthe carriage as illustrated best in Fig. 5. At one end, this shaft has afixed but rotatable connection with a bracket 72 which, in turn, isfixed solidly to a side edge portion of the carriage 40. At its oppositeend, the shaft has a turning handle I4. At sections intermediate itsends, and corresponding to the locations of the transversely alignedbrackets 43 and M. the shaft H1 is provided with threaded portions 15and 16; the portion 75 having a right-hand thread providing holdingconnection with the base portion Q5 of bracket 43 and the portion 15having a left-hand thread connected, as presently described, withbracket 4A. Thus, upon rotation of the shaft 10 by means of handle M,both brackets 43 and at will be simultaneously, and to equal extent,adjusted from or toward the pieces S being worked on. To determine theproper extent of adjustment, cooperating graduated indexing disks, as at8!! and 8!, may be fixed respectively to the shaft and carriage justwithin the turning handle.

In order that a compensating adjustment may be made in the relativesetting of the two brackets that might be necessary upon the changing ofcutters and due to very slight variations in dimensions of the cutters,I have provided that the connection between the threaded portion 15 ofthe adiustin shaft 71! and b acket M be throu h the mediacy of a sleeve9!! that is threaded onto that portion of the shaft and which sleeve hasan annular shoulder 91 at one end adapted to be held secure against ashoulder 92 in th bracket. and the inner end of a lock nut 93 that isthreaded into he carriage in opposed re ation to the shoulder. Uponretracting the lock nut 93. the sleeve may then be rotatably adjusted.This will effect a compensating adjustment of the bracket 44 along heshaft it. Then this adjustment can be re tained by again tightening thelock nut. To facilitate rotation of the sleeve 90, it is equipped at itsouter end with a turning head 96.

Assuming that a change in cutters has been made that makes necessary are-setting of the brackets. it is the usual practice, first to rotatethe shaft it so as to bring the cutter carried by bracket 43 just intocont-act with the shaft S on which it is to operate. Then, by rotativeadjustment of sleeve 99, while holding shaft 70, the bracket 44 is movedso as to bring the milling cutter 60 carried thereby just into contactwith its shaft S on which it is to operate. Then the sleeve 90 is lockedagainst-turning.

In Fig. 8, I have shown, in plan view, a working head as equipped withwork holding chucks for an internal threading operation. On each spindlell-2| is a chuck 35a: mounting a piece of work W. SEX designates millingcutters for the internal threading operation, and these are on shaftsBib which may be extensions of the driven spindles 60.

With the present machine equipped with the working heads 20 and 20' asdescribed and illustrated, and the spindles thereof connected by thegearing disclosed, it is quite apparent that all four work holdingspindles will rotate in unison and that the two carriages which mountthe milling cutters will move longitudinally of the bed 2 at the samerate. Thus, in this particular arrangement, four pieces of work may beworked on at'the same time, all under one main driving connection withthe head stock spindle.

It is to be understood that such machines might be equipped with one,two or'more of the working heads, and that each head might be equippedwith two or more spindles for mounting the pieces on which work is to bedone. Thus, the capacity of such machines can be greatly increasedwithout the requirement for additional labor insofar as control of themachine is concerned.

Improvements in accordance with this invention may be provided by theremodeling of old machines, or by building machines which have thepresent features as original equipment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a machine of the character described having abed section, a driven head spindle and a driven feed screw, of aplurality of working heads arranged upon the bed section in spacedrelationship therealong, a plurality of spindles mounted in each of saidworking heads each for holding a piece of work, gearing connecting thespindles of all heads to cause them to rotate in unison, severalspindles from the driven head spindle, carriages corresponding to eachworking head, mounted on the bed section for travel therealong, undercontrol of the feed screw, and driven milling cutters mounted on thecarriages for operat tion on work pieces held in the spindles of thecorresponding working heads.

2. The combination with a machine of the character described having abed section, a driven head spindle and a driven feed screw extendingalong the bed section, of a plurality of working heads fixedtransversely upon the bed section at spaced intervals therealcng; aplurality of spindles mounted in each of said working heads, each formounting a piece of material to be worked upon, gearing connecting thespindles of each head to cause them to rotate in unison, a line shaftextending between the several heads and having geared connection withthe spindle gearing of each head to cause all spindles to rotate inunison, means efiecting a driving connection means for driving thebetween the said driven head spindle and the spindle driving gearing ofthe working head nearest thereto, carriages corresponding to eachworking head, movable along the bed section under control of the feedscrew, gear housings adjustably mounted on the carriages, drivenspindles mounted in the said housings, milling cutters on said spindlesadjustable by their housings into position for operation on the workpieces held in the corresponding driven spindles, and movable along saidwork pieces with travel of the carriages.

3. A device as in claim 2 wherein brackets are mounted on the carriagesfor lateral adjustment, and said gear housings are adjustably mounted onsaid brackets, and means is provided for effecting simultaneous lateraladjustment of the brackets, to move the milling heads from or againstthe pieces of work, and means is provided for adjusting the workingposition of the millingcutters.

4. In a machine of the character described, a bed section, a driven headspindle, a driven feed screw, a plurality of working heads arranged uponthe bed section at intervals therealong, a plurality of spindles mountedin each working head, each equipped for the holding of a piece of work,means for efiecting the driving of all spindles from the head spindle,carriages corresponding to each working head mounted on the bed sectionfor travel therealong under control of the feed screw and millingcutters mounted on the carriages for operation on work pieces held inthe spindles of corresponding working heads.

5. In a machine of the character described, a bed section, a driven headspindle, a driven feed screw, a plurality of working heads mounted onthe bed section at intervals therealong, a pair of spindles mounted ineach of the working heads; each equipped for the mounting of 'anobjectto be worked on, gearing connecting the spindles of the several headswith the driven head spindle, a carriage corresponding to each workinghead, movable along the bed section under control of the feed screw, apair of brackets mounted on each carriage for lateral adjustment, drivenmilling cutters mounted on the brackets for work on objects held byspindles of corresponding work heads, and a transverse adjusting shaftfor each pair of brackets having threaded connection therewith foreffecting their simultaneous lateral adjustment to correspondingly movethe milling cutters carried thereby toward or from the objects beingworked on, and means for rotating said-shaft.

